Corn-sheller.



No. 628,955. Patented July I8, l899..

C. N. MCLAUGl-ILIN.

CORN SHELLER.

(Application filed May 20, 1898.)

2 Sheets-Sheet I (No Model.)

zmwwjozi Cw Am] No. 628,955. Patented July I8, I899.

c. N. McLAUGHLIN.

BURN SHELLER.

(Application filed May 20, 1898.) (No Mod l-J I 2 Sheets--Sheet 2.

UNITED STATES:

PATENT OFFICE.

CUNNINGHAM N. MoLAUGHLIN, or WINONA, MINNESOTA.

CORN-SHELLER.

SPECIFICATIGN forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 628,955, dated my 18, 1899.

' Application filed May 20,1898. Serial No. 681,232. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern-:- Beit known that I,-GUNNINGHAM N. MC

LAUGHLIN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Winona, in the county of Winona and State of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corn- Shellers; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to theletters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

This invention is directed to improvements in corn-shellers, and has for its object the production of a machine of this character possessing advantages, among which are simplicity and economy of construction, efficiency in operation, and durability.

A further advantage lies in the provision of means in the nature of protected antifric tion-bearings for the operating-shaft, whereby the machine may be continuously run by the exercise of but little power and all liability of interruption through clogging of the parts is reduced to the minimum.

The nature of my improvements will become apparent from a reading of the following description, which is directed to the details of construction and operation, and in connection with this description attention is called to the accompanying drawings, in which i Figure 1 is a View in elevation of my improved corn-sheller. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view on line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4. is a verticalsectional View on line 4 at of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view of a double machine embodying my invention.

Referring to the said drawings by letter, A

denotes the casing of the machine, which is formed in two sections 0; a, bolted together at intervals, and B is the wing-plate, between which and the shelling-disk O the corn is shelled. The sections a a and the wingplate B may be produced by a variety of methods and from various materials. The peculiar form, structure, and manner of assemblage of these parts, however, enable the same to be stamped out of sheet metal, pref- 'tracted by a deflecting-flange b erably steel, and such method enables a pro duction which is attended with comparatively little labor and time, and as a consequence the machines may be made and sold at a low price. The employment of the method and material stated obtains the desired rigidity, and in addition the liability of fracture common in, the use of castings, forinstance, is

practically overcome. V

The sections a a of the casing beyond the meeting edges (1 are concaved to provide spacejfor the wing-plate and shelling-disk, and at three pointsperipheral openingsmy z are provided, through which the corn is fed and from which the shelled cobs and kernels are discharged, said openings being formed by bending portions of the edges of each of the sections ontwardlyin the stamping oper- 7o ation. The edges 0. of the sections are extended at one side, and between said edges is confined one edge of the wing-plate, the latter having a groove 1), which is interposed between a tongue o and a groove a formed, respectively, in the sections a and a. The' Wing-plate adjacent to the groove bis formed with grooves b b for the purpose of rigidity and strength.

Centrally of the wing-plate is a channel b formed by a bend substantially semicircular in cross-section, said channel extending in a straight line from the openingm to the opening 2. The upper end of the channel is out wardly tapered, and the lower end is con- 8 5 The wingplate is also provided with a channel 11 similar to the aforesaid channel, extending from the opening y to the opening .2. These channels provide passages for the corn, as will be 0 understood.

The shelling-disk G is provided on its outer or contact face with a plurality of teeth 0, which in practice operate through the rotation of the disk to shell the ears of corn. The disk 5 is rigidly mounted upon a shaft d, journaled in hearings in the casing-sections, and said disk at its inner side is close to the inner casing- Wall, whereby the adjacent bearing is protected against accumulation of foreign sub- :00 stances, which would tend to clog and interfere with its working and, moreover, would promote friction and wear. The shaft d passes through an opening I) in the wing-plate, the

. opening being of sufficient size to permit movement of the plate, as will be presently understood. The wing-plate operates as a protection for the opposite bearing in a manner similar to that described with reference to the other hearing.

The bearings in which the shaft is journaled may be of any desired construction, in-

;cluding the cone type; but it is the purpose of my invention to employ antifriction-bearings for the shaft, and thereby secure ease of operation and the minimum of wear. Ballbearings are shown by preference, the ball-' struetion of the bearing- E allows of the remeval of the section a without disturbing the balls.

F is a coiled spring which encircles the shaft between the inner wall of the section a and the wing=plate. The function of this spring is torender the wing-plate self-adjustable to: accommodate itself to different-sized earsof'corn. The'inner end of the wing-plate being confined as above described, said plate is yielding, the spring operating to normally press the plate in the direction of the disk and to keep the ears in close contact with the latter during the shelling operation.

In the operation of the invention the disk is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the ear of cornentering the casing at 00 is carried by the movement of the disk downwardly through the channel 1) until by coming into contact with the flange b at the lower end of the channel it is deflected to and carried by the disk into and along the channel b, from whence it is discharged through the opening y, the kernels passing out through the lower opening a.

In Fig. 5 is shown amachine constructed 1. In a corn-sheller, the combination of a casing having receiving and discharging open ings, a shelling-disk rotatable in the casing, awing-plate yieldingly mounted in the casing and having channels in alinement with the openings'and a deflecting-flange at the lower end of one of the channels, and a spring interposed between the casing-wall and wingplate and operating to press said plate toward the toothed side of the disk, substantially as and for the purpose described.

2. In a corn-sheller, the combination of a casing having a receiving and two discharging openings, and having side extensions pro vided with interfitting tongue and groove, a wing plate Within the casing and provided at one edge with a groove engaging the tongue and groove of the casing, and provided with a channel in line with the receiving and one of the discharging openings, said channel .having a deflecting-flange, and with a channel in line with the two discharging-openings, a shelling-disk at one side of' the casing, a shaft for said disk journaled in antifriction-bean ings in the casing-sections and passingloosely through an opening in the wing-plate, and a spring encircling theshaft and interposed between the casing-wall and wing-plate, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CUNNINGHAM N. MOLAUGIILIN.

Witnesses:

IDA R. PEHLER, W. J. SMITH. 

